


Keep With Me Forward

by supertrashcompactor



Category: Terminator (Movies), Terminator: Dark Fate
Genre: Canon divergence all the way, F/F, Featuring cool aunt Sarah, Pining, Romance, They're gonna fix everything, We don't need more angst, but no angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-08 10:10:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21474289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supertrashcompactor/pseuds/supertrashcompactor
Summary: When the Rev-9's arrival is thwarted by the Resistance, Grace finds herself with an unexpected partner and a malleable future she isn't prepared for.
Relationships: Grace/Dani Ramos
Comments: 33
Kudos: 171





	Keep With Me Forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't written in a while, so I apologize if I'm still shaking the rust off. I'm so excited to have found a new pairing that inspires me. I just want them to be able to be tender and give each other all the love and kisses. I hope everyone enjoys it.

Sarah found her. 

Sarah was waiting under the bridge, ready for a terminator, and Grace took a bullet to the shoulder before she could pin the older, slower woman face first on the ground. 

"I'm one of the good guys," she said, panting. Her grip on Sarah loosened as the effects of time travel caught up with her. 

Sarah struggled against Grace's hold, but even in Grace's weakened state she couldn't free herself. 

"Prove it," she spat. "Cause you move like a machine, and you took a bullet like a machine."

Grace considered her options and then slowly let go of Sarah's wrist and stood up, hands raised. "If I was really a machine you'd be dead. I'm human, just augmented."

Sarah got up with a groan and retrieved the gun Grace had thrown, and gave her a look up and down. "Alright you're not a machine, and you're not shy either."

Grace lowered her arms, but made no effort to cover herself. She was still trying to catch her breath and fighting the urge to vomit. "We don't get a lot of alone time where I'm from."

Sarah tossed the gun in the back seat of her nearby Jeep, and turned around, leaning back against the door as she surveyed Grace again. "What's the year where you're from?"

"2042, but I don't have time to explain everything," Grace rushed, her mind starting to clear, the urgency of her mission coming to the forefront. 

Sarah nodded. "Not my first rodeo," she said, turning to grab a duffle bag from the back of her vehicle. She rummaged around before turning and throwing Grace a pair of jeans and a worn t-shirt. "Come on I'll help you."

"I don't think that's a good idea." 

Sarah ignored her. "The jeans might be a bit short, and we'll have to find you some shoes, but this'll make you a little less conspicuous."

Grace dressed quickly, Sarah catching the frenzy in blue eyes. 

"Look, I know what you're here to do. I know you have a mission to protect someone. I know what you're protecting them from, and I know where that fucker's gonna turn up. I can't explain it all right now." 

Grace watched Sarah climb into the driver's seat, bewilderment and suspicion stopping her from following. 

Sarah slammed her door shut and lit a cigarette. She blew the smoke out the open window towards Grace." I'm not usually such a great team player, so I'd accept this offer."

Grace looked down in contemplation, her eyes focused on the inches of shin left exposed by the too short jeans. The commander would tell her that unity was key to resistance. To ask for help when you need it, and accept it when offered. 

"I should explain what we're up against," she offered. 

Sarah flicked her cigarette butt out the window. "We can catch up on the way." 

They got there fast enough to watch the time bubble burst, but Sarah had seen enough to know something was wrong. She caught Grace preparing to pull the weapon from her waistband, and reached out to stop her. 

"No, don't. Something's not right. Watch," Sarah said hurriedly, looking around the courtyard.

A woman collecting her laundry, crossed herself and ran. The integrity of the bubble faltered, the static in the air sizzled and cracked, before a blinding light made both women avert their eyes. 

When it dissipated, the bubble burst, and where Grace was prepared to see the Rev 9, there was nothing but a molten heap of slag. 

"I'm assuming that's not on brand for your bad guys," Sarah quipped. 

Grace shook her head dumbfounded before she collected herself. "She did it." 

Sarah looked over at her. "Who did what?" She asked, but shook her head. "Wait don't tell me now, we should go. Don't want to be seen hanging around."

Grace nodded soberly and turned after a final scan of the area. Satisfied, she hurried after Sarah. 

"I need to go to the Arius Motors plant," she insisted closing the passenger door. 

Sarah started the Jeep, acquiescing. "That's where they'll be?" 

"That's what she told me. She worked there with her brother. I just need to make sure she's safe." 

"Why do they want her dead?" 

"She's the commander," Grace responded, looking out the window. Still on high alert, her eyes scanned every building, every vehicle they passed. "She brought us together against the machines."

Sarah gripped the steering wheel tight and let out a long breath. "She's your John."

Grace looked over at her, blue eyes questioning. 

Sarah told her everything as they made their way through the city. The first attempt to kill her. Kyle. John. The T-1000. The 'good' terminator. Destroying Skynet. Stopping judgement day. 

"Judgement Day still came though." 

Grace nodded. "You had Skynet. We have Legion." 

Sarah pulled onto the off ramp. "Motherfuckers don't learn." 

Grace told Sarah to park in an empty lot across from the factory. Her augmented eyes scanned the entrance. 

"You can see from here?" Sarah asked, rummaging in the back seat and pulling out a bag of chips and two bottles of water. She offered one to Grace, who drained it. 

"Thanks, and yeah," she answered, wiping her chin. "I can, uh, zoom, and I have facial recognition capabilities."

Sarah held out her bag of chips to Grace, who took a handful with a soft thank you. "Back there you said 'she did it'. You talkin' about this commander of yours?" 

Grace nodded. "Dani," she supplied, and Sarah noted the same reverence in Grace's tone as when Kyle had spoken about John. 

"We were winning. Augments like me were giving us the edge. Dani had united the resistance all over the world. Time travel was Legion's last-ditch effort, but we discovered their plan. We beat them to it," she explained. "I volunteered to come back."

Sarah lit a fresh cigarette and let Grace continue. 

"But I was the contingency plan. Building our time machine was a just in case thing. For months we'd already been planning and preparing to storm Legion's last stronghold, the facilities where they made terminators, where their time machine was," she clarified. "And destroy it before they used it, then tear it all down."

"Your guys must have gotten there just in time," Sarah extrapolated. 

Grace nodded. "Now I'm stuck here, no threat, no mission." 

Sarah shook her head. "There's always a threat. You don't know what's going on where you're from. Things like Skynet, Legion they're cockroaches, they find a way. We still gotta keep an eye on this commander of yours, but now you're the threat. Now we have a new mission: stop judgement day."

Grace's intense blue eyes traced the lines on Sarah's face. She hadn't even thought of it, but now it was possible. A future with no machines. Where her family didn't die. Where she could just grow up…

She was about to ask how they would even get started, but stopped as a bus pulled up. She scanned the people that got out. The augmentations behind her eyes flashed and she sat up with a jolt. "She's here."

Sarah squinted but couldn't make out any faces. "Help an old lady out." 

Grace fought to keep the quiver out of her voice. "She's talking to the woman in the green sweater." 

"That little thing's your ferocious commander?" 

Grace didn't answer, too focused on watching Dani. She was listening to the man Grace assumed was her brother, laughing at something he said and giving him a playful shove. 

She watched them until they were inside, and with a sigh slumped back in her seat. "That person isn't the commander. We have to keep it that way." 

Sarah studied her companion. "You ready for that?" 

Grace set her jaw, the intensity of her gaze would have made anyone else look away. "It's what I need to do. What I was built for. I need a mission. How do we start?" 

"Stand down, soldier," Sarah interjected, reclining her seat. "First thing, I'm gonna take a nap. Then, just to be safe, we're gonna keep a close eye on your not commander for a few more days. We'll find a big and tall store for you. Then we'll get started. So just take a load off and have some more chips," she finished and held out the rest of the bag. 

Grace took it and studied Sarah as the older woman settled back and closed her eyes behind her sunglasses. "Thank you," she said with all the sincerity she could muster, but Sarah just waved a dismissive hand. 

"Don't get soft on me, bionic woman." 

"Grace," she supplied, allowing a rare smile to break across her face. "My name is Grace."

"Sarah, " came the mumbled response. 

"You know, I haven't had chips in 20 years." 

"Welcome to the past, kid."

**Author's Note:**

> supertrashcompactor.tumblr.com


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